Japan issued an emergency alert on Saturday after North Korea fired a ballistic missile, escalating regional tensions and reviving security concerns in East Asia.
An emergency alert has been triggered in Japan
The Japanese Prime Minister’s Office confirmed in a statement posted on X that the launch had been detected earlier in the day and that authorities were continuing to assess the situation.
“North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile. Further updates to follow,” the post said, without immediately specifying the missile’s trajectory, range or whether it landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Japan’s Defense Ministry later said the missile was believed to have already fallen, adding that it was closely monitoring developments in coordination with allied partners.
Several launches from Pyongyang have been detected
South Korea’s military said North Korea fired several ballistic missiles from around its capital Pyongyang toward waters off its east coast at around 7:50 a.m. local time on Sunday.
“Our military has increased surveillance and vigilance in preparation for further launches,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, adding that information was shared closely with the United States and Japan.
The launch marked North Korea’s first ballistic missile test in nearly two months, the last such activity being reported in November.
The diplomatic background raises the stakes
The missile launch came at a sensitive diplomatic moment as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to begin a state visit to China on Sunday. Seoul has indicated that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula will be central to the discussions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will host Lee during the visit. Wi Sung-lac, Lee’s national security adviser, said South Korea expects Beijing to play a constructive role in promoting peace on the peninsula, though he did not elaborate on specific agenda items.
Analysts say Lee is likely to call on China to facilitate renewed dialogue with Pyongyang, even though North Korea has recently rejected outreach efforts by the new South Korean administration.
Kim Jong-un signals weapons expansion
The launches follow a series of high-profile inspections by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited a munitions factory on Saturday and called for more than doubling production capacity for tactical guided weapons, state media reported.
In recent weeks, Kim has visited weapons facilities, toured a nuclear-powered submarine and overseen missile tests ahead of this year’s ninth Workers’ Party congress, where top policy priorities are expected to be outlined.
Heightened vigilance in East Asia
While no immediate damage or casualties were reported, the latest missile activity prompted a heightened level of alert in Japan and South Korea, underscoring the fragility of security dynamics in the region as diplomatic engagements unfold.
